Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a powered, waste container lifting and tilting device that can be universally attached to any conventional outdoor waste receiving container, and then receive, lift and rotate conventional indoor waste collection containers such as trash cans to facilitate automatic transfer of contents from the trash cans to the receiving container.
Description of the Related Art
Large, conventional outdoor waste receiving containers, hereinafter referred to as simply “receiving containers”, are often provided to collect trash from commercial, industrial and residential users before the trash is loaded into a truck. These receiving containers generally consist of large rectangular steel boxes located outside buildings, often in areas such as the back of the buildings alleys and parking lots. Each has one or more top access doors for depositing the trash therein and also for permitting the trash therein to be emptied, such as into a truck using actuated forklift arms. The forklift arms lift and tip the entire receiving container until its contents fall by gravity into the truck. In yet other applications, the entire receiving container can simply be pulled onto a tilted bed of the truck and removed entirely for content disposal.
Such receiving containers typically receive content from many conventional indoor waste collection containers, portable waste containers, trash cans and the like, hereinafter referred to as simply “trash cans”. These trash cans generally consist of small to medium sized, circular steel or plastic containers located inside buildings. Since these trash cans store a smaller amount of waste, and are not designed to be emptied directly into trucks or to be loaded onto trucks for removal, the content of such trash cans are typically transferred to receiving containers. For example, trash cans are often shaped to facilitate use by individuals in indoor locations, and are often configured to provide ready disposal of small amounts of waste. In contrast, receiving containers are often shaped to collect larger amounts of waste for temporary storage, and for collection by heavy equipment in a quick and efficient manner. Accordingly, the content of such trash cans must be periodically transferred to receiving containers. To do so, handles are provided on sides of the trash cans and/or wheels are provided on a bottom surface of the trash cans to facilitate the movement of the trash can to the receiving containers.
Unfortunately, a user is then required to physically transfer the content from such trash cans to the receiving containers, wherein the receiving containers are not often compatible or designed to facilitate such transfers in an easy or safe manner. For example, a user is typically required to place the trash can adjacent to the receiving container and manually lift the trash can to a height dependent upon receiving container size, and manually tilt the trash can to an angle to transfer the contents from the trash can to the receiving container. In doing so, users are required to exert themselves when transferring contents between trash cans and receiving containers, and injuries and/or accidents can be expected, resulting in higher costs and greater insurance claims.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved system and method to transfer contents from such trash cans to such receiving containers, even in the case where one or more of the trash can and receiving container are not compatible or designed to facilitate such transfers.